NEW YORK, Nov 2: The New York Yankees worked their late-innings magic for a second night in a row, beating the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2 in 12 innings Thursday night to take a 3-2 lead in the World Series.

Scott Brosius, the 1998 World Series Most Valuable Player, hit a game-tying two-run homer off Korean closer Byung-Hyun Kim with two out in the ninth, just as Tino Martinez had in Game Four.

Of the Yankees’ 10 runs in five games of the series, five came off Kim.

In the 12th, rookie Alfonso Soriano singled off Albie Lopez, Arizona’s fifth pitcher, to drive in Chuck Knoblauch, who had singled and was bunted to second by Brosius.

Sterling Hitchcock, the 1998 National League Championship Series MVP for the San Diego Padres, got the victory for one hitless, scoreless inning.

The three-time defending champions, who had dropped the first two games on the road, are one victory away from their fifth title in six years with Games Six and, if needed, Seven in Arizona Saturday and Sunday.

Steve Finley and Rod Barajas, a last-minute substitute for injured catcher Damian Miller, hit solo home runs for Arizona in the fifth inning.

Both starters yielded just five hits.

Miguel Batista shut the Yankees out over 7 2/3 innings, walking five and striking out six.

Yankee starter Mike Mussina pitched eight innings, yielding the two solo home runs with 10 strikeouts and three walks.—Reuters